Functors of Variance: Heuristic Naturality and Connection to Ends

Abstract

The concept of a variance on a category is introduced as a two-sided strict factorization system. By employing variances, we define functors of variance in a more general setting than is usually considered, thereby eliminating the need for their domains to be product categories. Heuristic natural transformations are defined between functors of variance, whose domains are connected via a span. Heuristic naturality encompasses various known types of naturality, such as diagonal, extraordinary, and twisted naturality. We demonstrate the connection between heuristic naturality and a generalized comma category, revealing the bijective correspondence between heuristic natural transformations and sections of the forgetful functor from the generalized comma category. Moreover, we introduce the concept of limit with respect to the notion of a heuristic transformation. This is the notion of end. It is shown that ends can be calculated via products and equalizers, and the Fubini theorem still holds for ends.